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Anderson raises ongoing disturbances at Strasbourg.

Speaking
in Strasbourg tonight Sinn Féin MEP Martina Anderson will inform the
European Parliament of the situation in the North of Ireland since December the 3rd when Belfast
City Council democratically voted to fly the British Union flag at the City Hall
only on 17 designated days. Speaking to the Parliament Ms Anderson will tell them:

"Unionist
politicians stirred up tensions in the run-up to the Council vote when
they distributed 40,000 leaflets in Alliance Party colours calling on
people to protest the change in policy on flying the Union flag on
Belfast City Hall. This resulted in almost daily protests over the past
six weeks, many of them violent and most of them illegal.

"The
loyalist paramilitary group the UVF & right wing British National
Party have been actively involved, with police being attacked and
injured, and attempts made to attack nationalist districts.

"Rather
than Unionists political Leaders establishing a “Unionist Forum”, what
is needed is an all-party, cross community response to the flag protests
and the violence.

"The promise of the Good Friday Agreement for a new society in which
all citizens are respected, and where justice and equality are the
guiding principles, has to be advanced.

"It is clear that the
overwhelming majority of people want the Irish Peace Process supported
and progressed. That's what everyone should be working towards."